Math 309 Differential Equations Syllabus
Fall 2005
Monday, Friday 1:00 – 2:15, Wednesday 1:00 – 1:50 in Science Center 112W
Instructor: Jim Wiseman
Office: Buttrick 331
Phone: x6202
Email: jwiseman@agnesscott.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 3-5, Wednesday 3-4, and by appointment
Course information: Available on Blackboard and the course website, http://ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat309
Textbook: Blanchard, Devaney, and Hall, Differential Equations, 2nd ed., available in the bookstore.
Plan: We'll cover most of
chapters 1-6, plus some material on partial differential
equations. There's a more detailed schedule on Blackboard and at http://ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat309/schedule.html, but it's subject to change.
Homework: Working
problems is vital to learning math; there will be homework assignments
nearly every week. Assignments will be posted on Blackboard and at http://www.ecademy.agnesscott.edu/~jwiseman/mat309/assignments.html
– you are responsible for checking the assignments, as I won't
give them in class. You don't have to turn in the homework, but
please don't take that as an invitation not to do it. I will
spot-check some of the problems using E-grade.
Honor code and group work: All students are expected to follow the honor code throughout the semester.
I strongly encourage you to work on the homework in groups. I
suggest that you work on the problems by yourself first, making a note
of anything giving you trouble; then meet with your group and work
through the remaining problems together; and finally write up the
solutions by yourself. You must work on E-grade by yourself.
Getting help: As Talking
Barbie says, "Math class is tough." (Unless she's the hacked
version - then she says, "Eat lead, Cobra.") Chances are that
sooner or later you'll get stuck on something, so don't get
frustrated. Think hard, and if you're still stuck, do something
else for a while. (It's amazing how often that works.)
My office hours are above - these are times when I'm guaranteed to be
in my office and willing to talk. If you want to see me at other
times, the best thing to do is to set up an appointment with me by
email or after class. Of course, you're welcome to just drop by
my office, as long as you don't mind if I'm not there or don't have
time to talk.
Finally, I can't emphasize enough that your classmates are your best source of help.
Course goals:
- Learn to solve differential equations graphically, numerically,
and analytically, and understand which methods are appropriate for
which problems
- Understand and make use of differential equations in modeling the real world
- Learn to communicate mathematics effectively, both orally and in writing
Exams: We will have two
midterm exams and one final exam, all closed-book. The midterms
are in-class exams, and the final is self-scheduled. The first
midterm covers all material up to that point, the second covers all
material since the first, and the final is cumulative.
- First midterm – Friday, October 7, in class
- Second midterm – Wednesday, November 16, in class
- Final – self-scheduled
Final project: During the
last full week of classes, you will turn in a
differential equations project. The project consists of a paper
and a 30-minute in-class presentation. The paper is due at the
beginning of class on Monday, 12/12; the exact time of your
presentation will be determined later. Here are more details and a
list of possible topics.
Assessment: Your grade will be based on:
- Homework/labs – 10%
- Midterms – 20% each
- Final exam – 30%
- Final project – 20%
Letter grades will be given as follows: 90 and above is an A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, below 60 F.
Late assignments and exams:
Late assignments won't be accepted, and you won't be allowed to make up
missed exams, except under very exceptional circumstances (e.g., the
sasquatch attacks - and even then you should get a note from the
sasquatch). In the case of a conflict that you absolutely can't
resolve, you may arrange to take a midterm exam early.
Attendance: I expect you
to be at every class, on time. However, tardiness or absence will
have no (direct) effect on your grade.
Feedback: I'm very interested
in your feedback throughout the class: what you like, what you
don't, what's working for you, what isn't - anything that you think
might help me make the course better. If you have any comments
(and you probably should), the easiest thing to do is to talk to me (or
send email) about them. If you want to remain anonymous, you can
fill out the anonymous feedback form on Blackboard.